Picking a great house is half of the story - but, it is equally important to remember you are also selecting a landlord.

• With record numbers of rookie investors and out of state landlords trying to enter the rental business in Arizona, you must be cautious in selecting an experienced and financially stable landlord, making sure that they exhibit pride of ownership and will resolve problems quickly.
• When I hold open houses, I hear horror stories from prospective tenants who tell me about major problems at their current residence that are not getting resolved in a timely manner. Broken air conditioning, dead appliances, water leaks, mold, failing pool cleaners - these problems drag on for months with no resolution because the owner cannot, or will not maintain the property properly.
• Foreclosures are also surprising many tenants who suddenly find out they have to move when a bank auction notice is posted on the front door, even though rent was always paid on time. This can be financially and emotionally draining for tenants, who through no fault of their own, have to repack, move and re-establish themselves in a new location. Over 30% of the people who attended my last open house were in this predicament!
• The chance of it happening to you can be reduced by interviewing your prospective landlord. Ask to see a copy of the mortgage statement to see if the house payments are current. Ask for references from prior tenants, to hear how repairs and maintenance are handled. If you are not able to get answers that make sense, or worse, you cannot speak with the actual property owner before you sign a lease - beware that it may be even harder to communicate with them once a major problem needs to be resolved.
  
  In conclusion, I have been in business for ten years, owning a small number of residences so that I can personally tend to maintenance issues and uphold the highest levels of tenant satisfaction. My homes are extra clean, well maintained, priced competitively and rent quickly. Best wishes in your rental home search, and thank you for visiting this site.